Sheet-folding machine.



No. 755,435. PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904.

0. W. BENNETT.

SHEET FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Charles W. Bennett m: NOHRiS pz'rms my, PHo'lo-uma, WASNINGYOIL u. c.

No. 755,435. PATENTED MAR. 22,1904. 0. W. BENNETTL SHEET FOLDINGMACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1903. N0 MODEL.

B SHEETS-SHEET 2.

23 -mm HUI? l S g I V 3mm 2 Charles W. Bennett, 00 j W% No. 755,435.PATENTED MAR. 22, 1954. 0. w. BENNETT.

SHEET FOLDING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 16, 1903.

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awe/whom (WW Charles W. Bennett No. 755.435. PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904.

G. W. BENNETT.

SHEET FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1903.

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No. 755,435. PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904.

0. W. BENNETT. I

SHEET FOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1903. N0 MODEL. 8sums-sum '5.

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No. 755,435. PATENTED MAR. 22; 1904.

G. W. BENNETT.

SHEET FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1903.

No. 755,435. PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904. 0. W. BENNETT.

SHEET FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 1a. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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No. 755,435. PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904. O. W. BENNETT.

SHEET FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 16, 1903.

NO MODEL. 8 SHEETS-SHEET a.

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UNITED STATES Patented March 22, 1904.

ATENT Trice.

CHARLES W. BENNETT, OF ELVVOOD, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN SHEET ANDTIN PLATE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHEET-FOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,435, dated March22, 1904.

Application filed May 16, 1903.

T0 ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elwood, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Folding Machines,of which thefollowing is a specification.

In the manufacture of tin-plate the sheets during the rolling processare doubled from time to time before the rolling operation is finallycompleted, thus producing what are known as packs, which generallycontain eight sheets or thicknesses when finally finished. Heretoforethis doubling operation has generally been performed principally bymanual labor, the only machine heretofore used being a squeezing-pressfor forcing the sheets closely together at the line of bend.

It is the object of my invention to provide means for performing thiswork mechanically; and it consists in a machine for the purpose whereincam-operated swinging arms carrying suitable contact members perform thefolding operation, as will be hereinafter more particularly describedand claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof,and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure1 is a top or plan view of a machine embodying my invention, the greaterportion of the top plate or table thereof being broken away to show themechanism which is arranged beneath; Fig. 2, a side elevation on theside indicated by the dotted line 2 2 below Fig. 1; and Figs. 3, 4, and5, longitudinal vertical sections of the same as seen when looking inthe directions indicated by the arrows from the dotted lines 3 3, L 4,and 5 5, respectively, in Fig. 1; Fig. 6, an end elevation of saidmachine as seen when look-- ing in the direction indicated by the arrowsfrom the dotted line 6 6 in Fig. 2; Fig. 7, a partial transversevertical sectional view as seen when looking in the direction indicatedby the arrows from the dotted line 7 7 in Fig. 2; Fig. 8, a horizontalvertical sectionalview as seen when looking in the direction indicatedSerial No. 157,367- (No model.)

by the arrows from the dotted lines 8 8 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 9 a verticalsection on line 9 9 in Fig. 2.

The frame of this machine (in the construction shown) consists ofabase-plate 21, various upright members 23, 24, and 25, and a table orplatform 26. These may be of such dimensions and in such arrangement asare suitable for the purpose and support or contain the bearings for thevarious shafts and pivots. The forward end of the platform or table 26is curved downwardly to conform to the travel of the folding-roller, aswill be hereinafter more fully described.

The main or driving shaft 62 is mounted in suitable bearings in theframework and is intermittingly driven through a suitable clutch thereonfrom any convenient source of power. (Not shown.) I have shown asprocket-wheel 61 (mounted to revolve loosely on the shaft 62 andembodying one clutch member) as the immediate means of driving thisshaft, and this in turn isordinarily to be driven through the medium ofa link belt from a line-shaft, counter-shaft, or other power-shaft ofthe mill. The throwing into and out of engagement of this clutch isperformed in connection with another operation of the machine, as willbe presently described.

The at-rest position of the various parts is shown in all the figures ofdrawings except Figs. 3 and 4:. The extreme operated position of saidparts, when the folding-roll and holding-rollers are nearest to eachother, is shown in Fig. 4. Another position, just after theholding-rollers have started into operation, is shown in Fig. 3. passingthrough the axes of the rolls, Fig. 3, indicate the path of movement. Bythese it will be seen that the folding-roll in the position illustratedin this figure has nearly reached the limit of its movement preparatoryto starting back, while the holding-rollers have moved forward only ashort distance. Assuming now that the machine is ready for operation,with its parts in the relative positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a sheetof metal The dotted lines is thrown onto the platform or table 26, withone end resting against the stop-pins 27 therein, which are located justin advance of but slightly aside from the holding-rollers 28. Theoperator then by suitable means, as the hand-lever 31 and link 32,throws the lever 33, which is pivoted at 34, around to the positionindicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. This lever 33 has a latch-likepoint 35, which engages with a projection 36 on the reciprocating bar 37and forces the same, together with the links 38 and 39, which arepivoted thereto, forward into the positions indicated by the dottedlines in Fig. 1, at the same time swinging the bell-crank levers 41 and42, to which said links are connected at the other end, around asindicated and bringing the fold-point-determining arms 43 and 44 aroundat right angles with their normal position and extending in (toward eachother) across the sheet of metal which has been placed upon the table.The latch 45, operated by the weight 46 on an arm beyond the pivot 47,on which it is mounted, passes up behind the slide 37, holding it (forthe time being) to this operated position. The lever 33 continuing inits movement comes in contact with the upper end of the vertical memberof the bell-crank lever 51, which through the link 52-operates the lever53, which in turn withdraws the clutch-pin 54, (see especially Fig. 6,)permitting the spring 55 to throw the clutch member 56 into engagementwith the clutch face or member on the sprocket-wheel 61, and thusstarting the machine into operation. As the main shaft 62 revolves thecam 63 thereon operates upon the arm 64, which is shown as a double arm,(see especially Figs. 5 and 6,) and rocks the shaft 65, which in turn,through the arms 66 and 67, raises the carryingbars 68 and 69, in theupper ends of which the folding-roll 70 is mounted. At the same time theshaft 62, through the gear-wheels 71 and 72, drives the shaft 73, uponwhich are mounted the combined cam and crank wheels 74 and 75, in whichare the wrist-pins 76 and 77, with which suitable slots in theroll-carrying-bars 68 and 69 engage, by means of which said rollcarryingbars and the folding-roll carried thereby are driven backwardly towardthe opposite end of the machine, as will be readily understood. By thecombined motion thus imparted to the folding-roll 70 it describes themovement indicated by the upper dotted line in Fig. 3, folding the hotmetal sheet over and bringing its free end down onto the frame 91, whichby this time has begun to move forward, as will be presently described.At about this time after the frame 91 and the roll 28 have moved forwardsufficiently to receive and grip the sheet end the cam projections 78and 79 on the wheels 74 and come into contact with the ends of thelevers 81 and 82,

- which are mounted on a rock-shaft 83, carried in suitable hangers onthe under side of weights 48, which are connected thereto by means ofcords 49. This swings the arms 43 and 44 back into their originalposition parallel with the table sides and ofi from the sheet beingfolded, which by this time, with the exception of the closing down ofthe fold, has reached and is being held in its final position so far asthis machine is concerned.

The frame 91, heretofore referred to, is designed to cooperate with theholding-rollers 28 to hold the sheet into proper position while thefolding-roll 70 is doing its work. This frame (see especially Fig. 1) ispreferably U- shaped in form, and its two longitudinal members arearranged, respectively, under the two holding-rollers 28, so that inoperation the sheet is gripped between said members and said rollers.Said frame when the machine starts into operation is thrust forward sothat its longitudinal members pass above the end of the sheet which hasbeen placed upon the table against the pins 27, and after the other endof the sheet has been folded over onto said longitudinal frame membersthe holdingrollers pass onto said sheet end, and the frame and rollersthereafter cooperate in the holding work. The frame is operated by anarm 93 through a link 94, which arm rises from a sleeve 92, carried uponthe shaft 99, which sleeve also has an arm 95, extending out alongsidethe eam 96 on the main shaft 62, whereby it and the sleeve and arm 93are operated in one direction, thus driving the frame 91 forward. Thesleeve 92 and its arms are retracted (after the cam' passes) by means ofthe tension-spring 97, connected to the arm 98 on said sleeve, as shown.The cam 96is so formed as to cause the movement of theframe 91immediately after the machine starts-into oper ation.

The shaft 99 besides serving as a pivot for the sleeve 92 also carriesthe arm 101 mounted thereon, and this arm extends out alongside and isoperated by the cam 102 on the main shaft 62. Upon the ends of the shaft99 are the arms 103 and 104, which carry the I shaft 105, on which therollers 28 are mountquickly to the limit of their movement, so that theyare positioned in connection with the frame 91 to grip and hold thesheet while the folding operation is finished. It is at about this timethat the cam projections 7 8 and 79 ers reach during their movement.

operate the levers composed of the parts 81 84, 82 85, and said levers,through the segmental projections on the arms 103 and 104, force saidarms downwardly and cause the holding-rollers 28 to bear heavily, andthus firmly grip the sheet.

The arms 103 and 104 are telescopically constructed and are held yieldingly inward toward the shaft 99 by the springs 106. Said springs areinterposed between pins 107 (mounted in the inner telescopic members)and collars 108, (mounted on the outer telescopic members,) as is mostclearly shown in detail in Fig. 9. This permits the rollers to remain atall times in contact with the sheets being held thereby, notwithstandingthe varying distances from the axis of the shaft 99 to the variouspoints on the surfaces of such sheets which the roll- Upon the uppermembers of the arms 103 and 104, however, are segmental flanges 109 and110, over which the ends of the arms 84 and 85 extend. When the machinehas reached the point where the final folding operation is to takeplace,

when the folding-roller is about to pass back over the fold in the sheetand tightly compress the two sides together the cams 7 8 and 79 on thecrank-wheels 74 and 75 come in con tact with the levers 81 and 82,forcing the arms 84 and 85 down onto these segments 109 and 110, andconsequently bringing the rollers 28 down forcibly onto the sheet beingoperated upon and there holding them until the folding operation iscompleted. The levers 81 and 82 are in themselves in the form of heavystrong flat springs and will yield the slight amount necessary toprevent breakage or undue strain upon the machinery.

It will be observed that each of the arms 64 and and 101, which areoperated upon by the earns 63, 96, and 102, respectively, are doublearms between the .two members of which the cams can swing and that theheads of said arms, with which the cams come in contact, are in the formof cross-bars. This insures that the force shall be equally distributedand avoids twisting strains on said arms.

The operation of the spring 97 in retracting the sleeve 92 and partscarried thereby has already beendescribed. As is best shown in Fig. 8,said sleeve 92 has a projection 112, which is adapted (when it reachesthe proper point) to come in contact with a corresponding projection 113on the hub 114 of the arm 101.

. The result is that when the cam 102 passes around and ceases to exertits force on the arm 101 said arm, as well as the shaft 99,

r and the arms 103 and 104, carrying the shaft 105 and rollers 28, arealso retracted by the force of the spring 97, which insures that all ofsaid parts shall be held in their retracted or initial position untilforcibly driven forward at the appropriate time during the operation ofthe machine.

' Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a sheet-folding inachine, of a sheet-receivingtable, a sheet-gripping frame and rollers arranged above the table, asheet-folding roll arranged to travel over said table,fold-line-determining devices arranged intermediate the ends of the pathof the sheet-folding roll, and mechanism for operating said severaldevices, whereby the sheet is held to position, folded over at thepredetermined line, and flattened down at the folded line.

2. The combination, in a sheet-folding machine, of a main shaftbearingaser'ies of cams, arms, carried by suitable pivots or rock-shaftsextending into the paths of said cams, a sliding frame, connectionsbetween one of said arms and said sliding frame, sheet holding rollers,connections between said sheet-holding rollers and another of said arms,a sheetfolding roll, and connections between said sheet-folding rollandanother of said arms.

3. The combination, in a sheet-folding machine, of a suitable table forreceiving the sheets, arms arranged at the sides of said table andadapted to be swung over said sheet temporarily during the earlierportion of the folding operation and to be swung back to initialposition during the latter part of the folding operation, and afolding-roller adapted to first swing one end of the sheet up and oversaid arms and then on its return movement to complete the fold bypressing the folded portions closely together.

4. The combination, in a sheet-folding machine, of a suitable tabletherefor, stop-pins placed in said table against which the sheets are tobe placed for folding, a sliding frame adapted to be thrust out over theend of the sheet as the machine begins its operation,foldline-determining arms adapted to be swung in across the sheet at apoint substantially midway thereof, a folding-roller adapted to raisethe free end of the sheet and fold the same over onto the said frame,holding-rollers adapted to be brought forward and clamp the folded endof the sheet onto said frame and there hold it while the folding iscompleted, means for withdrawing the fold line determining arms fromacross the sheet, and means for driving the folding-roller back over thefolded line of the sheet and compressing the sheet at said fold-lineclosely together.

5. The combination, in a sheet-folding machine, with the table thereof,of fold-line-determining arms mounted in vertical bearings at the sidesof said table, arms extending hori- Zontally below the table from theshafts of the fold-line-determining arms, links extending from said armsinwardly and diagonally to a common point of union, means for moving thestructure to which said links are united and thus swinging thefold-line-determining arms simultaneously on their pivot-shafts, a latchIIO ' for holding said structure to its moved position until released,means for retracting said structure and throwing thefold-line-determining arms back into initial position, and means fordisengaging said latch when the first folding operation is accomplished.

6. The combination, in asheet-folding machine, of a main shaft, adriving-clutch mounted on said shaft whereby the shaft will be drivenwhen said clutch is thrown into engagement, fold-line-determining armsmounted at the sides of the table of the machine, a lever whereby saidarms maybe swung across the sheet, connections by which the clutch maybe operated and the machine set in motion, and a lever by which firstthe fold-linedetermining arms are operated and then the clutch-operatingconnections shifted, whereby the sheet is first secured to be properlyfolded and then the mechanism for performing the folding set in motionat the proper relative times.

7. The combination, in a sheet-folding machine, of a suitable table,horizontally-positioned fold-line-determining arms located at the sidesof said table on vertical pivot-shafts, and means for swinging saidshafts axially, whereby the fold-line-determining arms are swungtransversly of the table across the sheet being folded and then swungback to their initial position parallel with the sides of the tableafter the folding has been done.

8. The combination, in a sheet-folding machine, of a reciprocally-movingholding-frame, reciprocally-moving holding-rollers arranged to cooperatewith said frame, telescopicallyyielding arms carrying the latter andpro- Vided with segmental wings, levers arranged alongside said wings,and earns adapted to operate said levers when said rollers arrive at thefinal holding-point and thus cause said rollers to forcibly grip thesheets during the final holding operation.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, atIndianapolis, Indiana,this 8th day of May, A. D. 1903.

CHARLES W. BENNETT.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR M. H001), JAMES A. WALSH.

